The present invention relates to a handle for a vehicle lift gate.
Vehicle lift gates are large vehicle closure panels generally located at the rear of a vehicle. Lift gates are used on station wagons, sport utility vehicles, minivans and hatchback style vehicles. They are hinged at their top edge and extend across substantially the entire width of the vehicle. The large size of lift gates makes them heavy and somewhat difficult to open and close. Most lift gates have springs or pneumatic lift assist mechanisms to aid in the opening and closing process.
Handles are generally provided on lift gates to provide a convenient way to grasp the lift gate. Normally lift gates are lifted by gripping an exterior body flange or handle. The weight of the lift gate is balanced by springs or pneumatic lift assist mechanisms that reduce the force necessary to raise the lift gate. The force applied by the lift assist mechanism must be overcome when the lift gate is closed. To close a lift gate a person may push down on the exterior of the lift gate but this may not be convenient for a child or person of short stature. Also if a person wants to close the lift gate from inside the vehicle it is not possible to pull the lift gate closed without a handle.
Handles provided inside a lift gate may comprise simple straps that form loops that are not conveniently grasped and do not provide good leverage. If a lare easily gripped handle is provided, they tend to take up space within the vehicle interior and extend into critical storage space. If a smaller handle is provided the handle becomes harder to grip.
These and other problems are addressed by the lift gate handle deployment system of the present invention as summarized below.
The present invention relates to a handle assembly for a lift gate comprising a handle that is secured within a handle pocket that is in turn formed by or secured to an inside panel of the lift gate. The handle has a grip section and two generally perpendicularly extending legs extending in the same direction with one leg being located on each end of the grip section. The legs are pivotally secured within the handle pocket. The handle has two positions, a stowed position in which the grip section and legs are retained within the handle pocket and an extended position in which the grip section and part of the legs are extended from the handle pocket. The handle is retained in the stowed position by gravity when the lift gate is closed and is shifted to the grip position by gravity when the lift gate is opened so that it hangs below the handle pocket. When the handle is extended from the handle pocket is easy to grip and can be used to pull the lift gate down against the force applied by the lift gate lift assist mechanism. When the lift gate is in its closed position, the handle is contained within the handle pocket so that it does not take up interior space unnecessarily.
The lift gate may be used in conjunction with a tail gate that folds down. The tail gate may include a rotatable bar handle that may be easily gripped and can rotate as the tail gate is moved from the open position to the closed position.